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or a gandhabba-child (male) or a gandhabba-child (female), or a gandhabba-minister or a gandhabba-assembly member or a gandhabba-attendant, or a kumbhaṇḍa or a kumbhaṇḍī, or a kumbhaṇḍa-child (male) or a kumbhaṇḍa-child (female), or a kumbhaṇḍa-minister or a kumbhaṇḍa-assembly member or a kumbhaṇḍa-attendant, or a nāga or a nāgī, or a nāga-child (male) or a nāga-child (female), or a nāga-minister or a nāga-assembly member or a nāga-attendant, with a malevolent mind, should follow a monk or a nun or a layman or a laywoman who is going, or stand near one who is standing, or sit near one who is sitting, or lie near one who is lying down— That non-human, friend, will not obtain respect or reverence in villages or in towns. That non-human, friend, will not obtain a place or a dwelling in the royal capital named Āḷakamandā. That non-human, friend, will not obtain to go to the assembly of yakkhas. Moreover, friend, other non-humans will make him uninvited, unsummoned. Moreover, friend, other non-humans will revile him with complete revilings. Moreover, friend, other non-humans will overturn an empty bowl on his head. Moreover, friend, other non-humans will split his head into seven pieces. There are indeed, friend, non-humans fierce, violent, impetuous; they do not heed the Great Kings, nor the Great Kings' They seize men, not the Great King's men, nor the Great King's men's men. Indeed, those, friend, are called non-humans who are rebellious against the Great King. Just as, friend, in the Magadhan king's domain, there are great robbers. They seize not the Magadhan king, nor the Magadhan king's men, nor the Magadhan king's men's men. Indeed, those, friend, are called great robbers who are rebellious against the Magadhan king. Even so, friend, there are non-humans, fierce, wrathful, violent, who seize not the Great King, nor the Great King's men, nor the Great King's men's men. Indeed, those, friend, are called non-humans who are rebellious against the Great King. If indeed, friend, any non-human, be it a male yakkha or a female yakkha, or a male gandhabba or a female gandhabba, or a male kumbhaṇḍa or a female kumbhaṇḍa, or a male nāga or a female nāga, or a young male nāga or a young female nāga, or a nāga minister or a nāga attendant or a nāga servant, with a corrupted mind, should follow a monk or a nun, or a male lay follower or a female lay follower, who is walking, or stand near one who is standing, or sit near one who is sitting, or lie near one who is lying. To these yakkhas, great yakkhas, generals, great generals, one should complain, one should cry out, one should shout: 'This yakkha seizes! This yakkha possesses! This yakkha harasses! This yakkha torments! This yakkha harms! This yakkha injures! This yakkha does not let go!' 283. Which are these yakkhas, great yakkhas, generals, great generals? Indra, Soma, and Varuna, Bhāradvāja, Prajāpati; Candana, Kāmasetṭha, Kinnughaṇḍu, Nighaṇḍu. Panāda, Opamañña, and Mātali, the divine charioteer; Cittasena, the gandhabba, King Naḷa, Janesabha. Sātāgira, Hemavata, Puṇṇaka, Karatiya, Guḷa; Sivaka, Mucalinda, Vessāmitta, Yugandhara. Gopāla, Supparodha, Hiri, Netti, and Mandiya; Pañcālacaṇḍa, Āḷavaka, Pajjunna, Sumana, Sumukha; Dadhimukha, Maṇi, Māṇivara, Dīgha, and Serīsaka too. Of these yakkhas, great yakkhas, commanders, great commanders, it should be complained, cried out, proclaimed – ‘This yakkhha seizes, this yakkhha possesses, this yakkhha harasses, this yakkhha oppresses, this yakkhha harms, this yakkhha injures, this yakkhha does not let go!’ This, dear sirs, is the Āṭānāṭiya protection for bhikkhus, for bhikkhunīs, for laymen, for laywomen, for their safety, for their protection, for non-harming, for comfortable living. Now, dear sirs, we shall go, we have much to do, much to attend to.” “You, great kings, may now do as you deem fit.” Then the four great kings, rising from their seats, saluted the Blessed One, circumambulated him clockwise, and vanished right there. And those yakkhas too, rising from their seats, some saluted the Blessed One, circumambulated him clockwise, and vanished right there. Some exchanged greetings with the Blessed One, and having concluded a friendly, memorable talk, vanished right there. Some, having bowed their hands in reverence towards the Blessed One, vanished right there. Some, having announced their names and clans, vanished right there. Some, remaining silent, vanished right there. The First Recitation Section is finished. The Second Recitation Section Then the Blessed One, when that night had passed, addressed the bhikkhus: “Bhikkhus, this night, the four great kings, with a great army of yakkhas, with a great army of gandhabbas, with a great army of kumbhaṇḍas, with a great army of nāgas, having set up protection in the four directions, having set up a guard in the four directions, having set up a barrier in the four directions, came to me…” At the end of the night, with resplendent beauty, illuminating the entire Gijjhakūṭa mountain, they came to where I was. Having come, they bowed to me, and sat down to one side. And some of those yakkhas, monks, bowed to me and sat down to one side. Some exchanged greetings with me, and having exchanged courteous and memorable talk, sat down to one side. Some, with folded hands, turned towards me, and sat down to one side. Some announced their name and clan, and sat down to one side. Some remained silent, and sat down to one side. 286. Seated to one side, monks, King Vessavaṇa said this to me: “There are, venerable sir, exalted yakkhas displeased with the Blessed One… …and there are, venerable sir, lowly yakkhas pleased with the Blessed One. But for the most part, venerable sir, the yakkhas are displeased with the Blessed One. For what reason? Because, venerable sir, the Blessed One teaches the Dhamma on abstaining from the destruction of life… …teaches the Dhamma on abstaining from intoxicating drinks and drugs, which are the basis for heedlessness. But for the most part, venerable sir, the yakkhas do not abstain from the destruction of life… …do not abstain from intoxicating drinks and drugs, which are the basis for heedlessness. That is disagreeable and displeasing to them. There are, venerable sir, disciples of the Blessed One who resort to forest and wilderness dwellings, secluded, quiet, with solitary winds, suitable for human privacy, conducive to meditation. Therein dwell exalted yakkhas, who are displeased with this teaching of the Blessed One. For their appeasement, may the Blessed One, venerable sir, learn the Āṭānāṭiya protection for the safety, protection, non-harming, and comfortable living of monks, nuns, laymen, and laywomen.” I consented, monks, by my silence. Then, monks, King Vessavaṇa, knowing my consent, at that time recited this Āṭānāṭiya protection: 287. “Homage to Vipassī, the one with vision, the glorious one! o. And homage to Sikhī, who has compassion for all beings. ‘And homage to Vessabhū, the purified ascetic; Homage to Kakusandha, who crushed Māra's army. ‘Homage to Koṇāgamana, the brahmin, accomplished in the holy life; And homage to Kassapa, completely liberated in every way. ‘Homage to Aṅgīrasa, the glorious son of the Sakyas; Who taught this Dhamma, the dispeller of all suffering. ‘And those who are extinguished in the world, who saw things as they truly are; Those people are free from slander, great ones, free from fear. ‘For the welfare of gods and humans, they pay homage to Gotama; Endowed with wisdom and conduct, the great one, free from fear. 288. ‘From where the sun rises, the great orb of the sun. When it rises, the night also ceases; When the sun has risen, it is called "day". ‘There is also a deep lake there, the ocean, with river waters; Thus they know it there, "the ocean, with river waters". ‘"This is the eastern direction," thus people declare it; Which direction is protected, by that glorious great king. ‘The lord of the Gandharvas, named Dhataraṭṭha; He delights in dance and song, surrounded by Gandharvas. ‘His sons are many, of one name, I have heard; Eighty, ten, and one, named Indra, of great power. ‘And they, having seen the Buddha, the Buddha, kinsman of the sun; From afar they pay homage, to the great one, free from fear. ‘Homage to you, noble man, homage to you, supreme man; You look with skill, non-humans also revere you; This we have heard repeatedly, therefore we say thus: "Revere the Victor Gotama, we revere the Victor Gotama; Endowed with wisdom and conduct, we revere the Buddha Gotama." 289. ‘Where the departed are called, slanderers, backbiters. Killers of living beings, cruel, thieves, deceitful people. ‘"This is the southern direction," thus people declare it; Which direction is protected, by that glorious great king. ‘The lord of the Kumbhaṇḍas, named Virūḷha. He delights in dances and songs, surrounded by Kumbhaṇḍas. Many are his sons, all with one name, I have heard; Eighty, ten, and one, named Indra, of great power. And they, seeing the Buddha, the Buddha, kinsman of the sun; From afar they pay homage, to the great one, free from fear. Homage to you, noble man, homage to you, supreme man; You look upon with skill, non-humans also revere you; This we have heard repeatedly, therefore we speak thus. "Worship the Conqueror Gotama, we worship the Conqueror Gotama; Endowed with knowledge and conduct, we worship the Buddha Gotama." Where the sun goes down, the great orb of the sun. When it goes down, the day ceases; When the sun has set, it is called "night". There is also a deep lake there, an ocean with river water; Thus they know it there, an ocean with river water. "This is the western direction," thus people declare it; Which direction that glorious great king protects. And the lord of Nāgas, named Virūpakkha; He delights in dances and songs, surrounded by Nāgas. Many are his sons, all with one name, I have heard; Eighty, ten, and one, named Indra, of great power.